This invention relates generally to wheel covers and, more specifically, to mud covers for removable attachment to a wheel rim of a vehicle to prevent track material from adhering to the wheel rim and thereby cause the wheel to become unbalanced.
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The concept of covers for wheels for decorative purposes as well as for preventing dirt and other materials from adhering to the cover is known in the art. In the art of dirt track racing, where the vehicles race around an oval or round track, the outer wheels of the vehicle slide radially outward due to the centrifugal force on the vehicle. As a result the track material, which is usually soil, is forced against the rims of the wheel resulting in at least some of the soil adhering to the rim causing the wheel to become unbalanced.
While various mud covers have been proposed, the mud covers need to shed any soil that impacts thereon as well as mountable to existing wheel rims in a sufficiently securable condition to maintain the mud cover thereon as the vehicle encounters the forces and stresses produces by the tires and wheels sliding on the track. Vehicle sliding is particular acute as the vehicle races around a curved track. That is, as the vehicle circles a race track the outer wheels slide radially outward across the track causing soil on the track to impact the wheel rim. If the soil is moist or otherwise sticky the soil can adhere to the wheel rim creating an unbalanced wheel condition.
In order to minimize the unbalanced condition the outer rear wheels are often provided with an integral cover while the outer front wheel is often left uncovered. The present invention provides a mud cover assembly for a wheel rim that provides interlocking engagement with the wheel rim without the necessity to altar the wheel rim. In particular the present invention is suitable for use on front wheels of a dirt track racing vehicle or other vehicles that are driven in conditions where mud or the like can produce an unbalanced wheel condition.
A mud cap assembly for attachment to a wheel rim comprising a member expandable for forming interlocking engagement with a wheel rim, a cover having an outer surface to inhibit track material from accumulating thereon and a plurality of fasteners for temporarily securing the cover to the member so that track material impinging on the cover slides off the cover to inhibit the creation of an unbalanced condition.